Published 1:00 am, Sunday, April 16, 2006

Already they've shown themselves to be talented enough to pursue their dreams.
At the recent state championships for vocational schools - known as the
SkillsUSA
competition - the three
Henry Abbott Technical High School
students took first place and qualified to represent Connecticut in the national finals.
"We're very proud of them," said
Richard Stebbins
, head of Abbott Tech's department of manufacturing technology. "It's not so much a competition but a way for the kids to show what they know. It's a wonderful experience for them."
SkillsUSA is a national, non-profit partnership of teachers and school administrators. It prepares students for careers in trades and technical occupations that range from culinary studies to precision machining.
The three Abbott Tech students qualified for the June national finals in Kansas City, Mo., after competing against 800 candidates from Connecticut technical schools.
"The kids are very excited about it," Stebbins said. "It's not that they're bragging. They just love their trades, and the competition is an eye-opener to the real world."

Like many of her classmates, Jennifer Kinson already knows what she wants to for a living.
Kinson, 16, of New Fairfield, is studying architectural draftsmanship at Abbott Tech.
"When I first transferred here from
New Fairfield High School
, I wanted to study graphics," Kinson said. "When I found they weren't offering it, I chose drafting."
It wasn't a difficult choice. Kinson said both fields require imagination and creativity.
"I love my work," she said. "I'm glad I'm doing what I do."
Kinson said she wants to go to college and eventually become an architect. Specifically, she is leaning toward designing homes rather than large-scale projects, such as public buildings and skyscrapers.
Kinson's prize was awarded for an essay she submitted on the theme "Champions at Work," this year's motto for SkillsUSA. She wrote about the thousands of volunteers who helped victims of Hurricane Katrina.
"A champion inspires others by doing something positive, something worthwhile, even something noble," Kinson wrote. "Trades people who volunteered after Hurricane Katrina are positive models for us students. They became champions, because they used their trade and technical skills to help others."

Ramon Soto's father once owned an auto body shop in Puerto Rico, and now he wants to have one of his own.
Soto studies auto body and collision repair at Abbott Tech. His skills earned him a first-place prize in the state competition, where he was required to repair a car fender that had been dented and needed repainting.
"I wasn't a big fan of auto body until my sophomore year, when I found a job in the trade," Soto said.
His after-school job with the
Putnam Automotive Group
in Danbury has sharpened his enthusiasm.
"I'm already doing body work and painting, so when I go to college, I'm going to study business management," Soto said.
After graduating in June, Soto will attend the
Pennsylvania College of Technology
in Williamsport, where business management studies are included with auto body programs.
"I like the idea of working for myself and having my own shop," Soto said. "I think it gives you a lot of satisfaction."

Like Soto, Jeff Fulton has already made some big strides in planning his future. The 18-year-old from Newtown is a registered apprentice electrician with a Brookfield company.
"It helps me learn more at school, because I also learn a lot working with the company on outside jobs, such as new construction," Fulton said.
Fulton has always been a hands-on kind of guy.
"When I was growing up, I liked fixing things and seeing how things worked," he said.
For that reason, Fulton said he decided to become an electrician when he went to Abbott Tech.
Fulton earned first-place prize for a practical demonstration on how he would respond to a service call from a homeowner with an electrical switch problem.
"I just love my work," Fulton said. "Every day is something different. My father was an electrical engineer, so I knew a bit of what was out there when I decided to be an electrician."
Fulton plans to become an independent businessman.
"Having my own business will give me more freedom to make decisions," he said.